GOVERNING  BODY

Two months ago, most people would have guessed that COVID-19 was a Russian spy satellite, the name of an 80’s cover band from Long Island or a banned food additive.  Today, there is nobody from Kathmandu to Kokomo who doesn’t know COVID-19 is a virus that is disrupting life and lifestyles across the globe, decimating economies, overwhelming social networks, and crippling governments.  COVID-19 has descended upon us so quickly, fiercely, and completely that we tend to forget the fact that only two months ago most of us looked at it as a matter that only involved other countries, something that we could read about or watch on TV comfortable in our detachment from the devastation it was actually causing to the afflicted  people and countries.  Like most of the trouble and turmoil that we see every day in the news, we viewed COVID-19 was a terrible problem for the people of countries other than ours and, while we felt bad for them, we all had, as Harry Chapin sang, “planes to catch and bills to pay,” so our lives went on as usual. Then, it became our problem.

When COVID-19 first reached our shores, it really didn’t seem like a big deal.  We did the math. COVID-19 had killed a couple thousand people, but upwards of 500,000 people lose their lives to the flu virus each year globally and nobody seems to notice, so we wondered what all the fuss was about.  We’re accustomed to the flu virus. We get flu vaccines and our pharmacies are filled with over the counter flu remedies we take during the “cold and flu season.” The flu is so ingrained into our lives that it has its own season!  Like the Kardashians, the seasonal flu and the deaths that go along with it are just an accepted part of the human condition.  We soon came to learn, however, that COVID-19 isn’t like the flu and COVID-19 is NOT part of the human condition.  It is something else entirely.  And it is here, changing our lives as quickly and profoundly as it has all over the world.

By now, we all know somebody who has all the symptoms of COVID-19, is self-isolating and trying to fight through the cough, fever, headaches and body aches that accompany the virus. We all know somebody who has recovered from the virus and we probably all know someone who has not.  Even if we “flatten the curve” and New Jersey re-opens, life isn’t going to be the same.  Something as simple as a handshake, a kiss or a hug is going to problematic.  That doesn’t mean things will be better or worse than they were before, they’ll just be different.  And that’s OK, because as human beings our ability to adapt to changed circumstances may only be exceeded by that of our ability to change circumstances.  And change them we will.  

Oceanport is a town of a little less than 6,000 people. People with the ability to change circumstances walk among us.  We have actual heroes living in Oceanport, people who change circumstances. Nurses, doctors, hospital workers, volunteer firefighters, volunteer first aid workers, OEM personnel, police officers, cashiers, truck drivers, social workers, postal workers and a whole host of others --- some of them who don’t even realize that they are on the front line --- leave their families every day to change the circumstances in which we live.  And Oceanport has no shortage of people who adapt to changed circumstances.  Our municipal employees have kept our local government running as if nothing has changed, our residents have been exemplary at practicing social distancing protocols when in public and our parents and teachers have continued to educate our children remotely.  Nothing is the same as it was before. But, somehow, despite all that has been imposed on us, everything is the same because we have come together as a community and done ourselves proud.         

On April 15, Oceanport lost a man who would have been very proud of us and how we have handled the COVID-19 crisis on all levels.  Clement V. Sommers, who had been alive for 91 of Oceanport’s 100 years, passed from this earth taking with him a treasure trove of first-hand accounts of Oceanport’s history, but leaving behind countless examples of the incredible, lasting impact he had on Oceanport’s development. Clem was the President of his Wolf Hill School graduating class, was Oceanport’s Troop #58 first Eagle Scout, and served as our Mayor from January 1, 1976 through December 31, 1983 and as Councilman from January 1, 1960 to December 31, 1968 and January 1, 1972 to December 31, 1975. He was an instructor and treasurer of the Oceanport First Aid Squad, recognized in 1973 as First Aider of the Year. He joined the Oceanport Hook & Ladder Co. where he served as 2nd Lieutenant, Captain and President and was a 50-year Life Member and Exempt, served as 1st Assistant and Chief of the Oceanport Fire Department and for over 50 years served as Treasurer of the Oceanport Fireman’s Relief Association, and was vested with Port-au-Peck Chemical Hose Company Honorary Membership in 2011. It is fair to say that nobody has served, or will ever serve, Oceanport like Clem did.  In recognition of the impact Clem had on Oceanport’s development, on April 23, 2020, our Borough Council passed a resolution whereby the Borough’s new municipal building will be named the “Clement V. Sommers Municipal Building” when it is completed later this year.  Clem was prone to say “keep smiling” at the end of every conversation and I would ask that everybody in Oceanport keep smiling in honor of this great man. 

Finally, as you may or may not be aware, due to the COVID-19 crisis our Borough Council meetings are taking place remotely.  Members of the public are encouraged to watch our remote meetings on FIOS Channel 28. Members of the public can also watch our meetings on their smart phones, computers or tablets by going to the Borough’s website at www.oceanportboro.com and clicking on the “Watch Live” button.  Members of the public can participate in the remote meetings via land line, smartphone, computer or tablet by going to the Borough’s website and clicking on the “Instructions for Participation in Virtual/Remote Meetings” button and choosing the option (voice, text, e-mail, phone call, etc.) that best suits their needs and available technology. We’re even going to figure out a way to have Buddy Brocklebank at these remote meetings. Please note that the Borough’s website has also been updated to include videos of previous meeting (this is an ongoing process) and our home page has a whole host of COVID-19 related material including all of the town’s COVID-19 updates, Governor Murphy’s Executive Orders, and links to every COVID-19 site imaginable.  We need your input and insight, so please take the time to visit the website and participate in our meetings.

Stay healthy, wear a mask and wash your hands!

 

We live a pretty wonderful existence here in Oceanport. We live in nice houses, in nice neighborhoods. Our kids go to fantastic schools, where they are taught by wonderful teachers. It only takes five minutes to get from our front doors to a seat on the beach and the Shrewsbury River is practically in all our backyards. We have the most beautiful horse racing facility on the Eastern seaboard, high end restaurants, convenience stores, and we are situated close enough to New York City and Philadelphia that we can visit both in one day. All in all, things are “pretty, pretty good” here in Oceanport. Until they’re not.

It is very easy to forget that life was much the same in Oceanport in late October of 2012. That is, until Hurricane Sandy descended upon Oceanport and the rest of the east coast on October 29^th of that year. When Sandy hit, things changed. In Oceanport, they changed suddenly, dramatically and under the cover of darkness. When those of us who did not evacuate looked out our windows the next morning, we couldn’t believe what our eyes were seeing. Within the space of about twelve hours, neighborhoods in Oceanport were devastated as people lost their homes, livelihoods, and memories. We all have stories of how we spent the next few days, weeks, and months putting our lives back together again. If you have one of those stories, you’re lucky.  Because a lot of people in Oceanport weren’t able to put their lives back together again.

Through it all, Oceanport was ably and courageously served by our non-uniformed municipal employees, police force, volunteer first aid squad and firefighters, school system, and elected officials. Oceanport’s residents also rose to the occasion as neighbors helped neighbors, friends helped friends and, most notably, strangers helped strangers and became friends. Prior to and in the immediate aftermath of Sandy, however, one group of dedicated and unheralded volunteers operated as the backbone of this effort: Oceanport’s Office of Emergency Management.

A municipality’s Office of Emergency Management is like a flare gun on a boat: you hope you never have to use it, but if you do have to use it, well, it better work. And in response to Hurricane Sandy, Oceanport’s Emergency Management Coordinator and the entire Emergency Management team worked and worked and worked. A Municipal Emergency Management Coordinator is responsible for Emergency Management program administration and program development encompassing the four phases of Emergency Management: mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery. Oceanport’s OEM excelled in all four of those phases in October and November of 2012.

In October of 2019, Oceanport’s Emergency Management Coordinator, all Deputies and, with one exception, the ENTIRE OEM membership tendered their resignations (effective 12/31/19) due to (1) their collective belief and perception that Oceanport’s Municipal Council was not supportive of the OEM’s efforts and (2) their collective lack of confidence in the Borough’s finance committee and public safety committee to adequately ensure that Oceanport’s OEM would be properly prepared for its next large scale emergency.

Because of the existing and increasing possibility of the occurrence of disasters and emergencies of unprecedented size and destructiveness resulting from man-made or natural causes, and in order to ensure the preparations of this Borough will be adequate to deal with such disasters, and generally to provide for the common defense and to protect the public peace, health and safety, and to preserve the lives and property of the people of Oceanport, members of Oceanport’s revamped Public Safety Committee have held numerous meetings with all of our emergency service providers over the past 60 days. As a result of these meetings, and the continuing dialogue that has taken place with and amongst our elected officials and emergency service providers, I am happy, proud, and relieved to announce that, pursuant to law and per the recommendation of the Public Safety Committee, I have re-named Mauro “Buzz” Baldanza as Oceanport’s Office of Emergency Management Coordinator, approved his appointments of Chris Baggot, Wes Sherman, and Police Chief Mike Kelly as Deputy Emergency Management Coordinators and look forward to working with all of OEM’s membership. Let’s hope, however, that we never have to see them in action.

On a personal note, I have used my friend Buddy Brocklebank as a willing foil in each of my Mayor’s Messages for the past four years. This Mayor’s Message is going to be different.  Buddy, the Borough of Oceanport is a much, much better place with you manning the helm during turbulent times. Get off your back and get back on the street protecting us like you have been for so many years. That’s an order.

The past few months have involved lots of change in the Borough of Oceanport. At the Borough Council’s January 1st reorganization meeting, three new council members were sworn in: Bryan Keeshen, Thomas Tvrdik, and Meghan Walker. These three individuals have chosen to volunteer their time and energy for the betterment of the Borough and they have hit the ground running. Councilman Keeshen, as Chair of the Public Safety Committee, Councilman Tvrdik, as Chair of the Planning & Development Committee, and Councilwoman Walker, as Chair of the Health & Human Services Committee, have adapted well to their new positions and are actively reaching out to and meeting with Oceanport’s citizens, volunteers, and employees in an effort to maximize the potential of their committees. All three council members offer specific skill sets related to their respective committees and it will be exciting to see what the committees bring to the Council and the Borough in 2020. 

In December, the voters in Oceanport and Sea Bright
passed a referendum approving the expenditure of 33 million dollars for improvements to both Wolf Hill School and Maple Place School. The referendum was passed by a margin of 61 to 38 in Oceanport and will allow for the first substantial upgrades to both facilities since Buddy Brocklebank was a young man. Maple Place School’s renovations will include, but is not limited to, its STEM wing, cafetorium, locker rooms, media center, and guidance center. Wolf Hill School, which will undergo much more substantial renovations and improvements, will see the addition of 6 classrooms, a new cafeteria and media center, a revised bus drop-off, new toilet facilities, and ADA compliant spaces. Both schools will be upgrading their gyms, lighting, roofing, flooring, classroom furnishings, fire alarm & sprinkler systems, and security systems (including cameras, secure vestibules and safety glazing on the windows). At the end of the project, both schools will also have substantially improved mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems. Oceanport,
because of its teachers, administrators, and involved parents, has long been one of the best school systems in the State of New Jersey and soon we will have facilities that will augment that high level of education and allow for Oceanport’s school system to thrive for years to come. 

As far as Fort Monmouth’s redevelopment goes, the “400 Area” – the land to the right of Oceanport Avenue as you drive into Little Silver --- is, in all likelihood, going to be placed up for sale in February. There is an Open House on January 29th for potential developers and the tour/presentation is already fully booked by interested developers. As noted in my last message, the 400 Area is just under 80 acres in size. 25 acres are going to be designated for residential use, 25 acres are proposed to be used for commercial/mixed use, and 30 acres will be dedicated to open space. All existing buildings on this property are to be demolished. 

Sadly, Oceanport lost one of its most dedicated and respected civil servants when former Police Chief Robert D. Joyce passed away on January 6th. Chief Joyce served the Borough of Oceanport in various capacities for over forty years. He was admired and respected by all who worked with and for him and Oceanport will forever be indebted to him for his tireless commitment to our community. His wife, Georgianna, and family have our deepest sympathies.

I have answered a great number of questions about the redevelopment of the Fort Monmouth property over the past two months, so I thought it would be a good idea to provide everybody with the facts about the proposed residential development on the site.

The Fort Monmouth property covers just over 1100 acres in three different municipalities (Tinton Falls, Eatontown and Oceanport). The Oceanport section of Fort Monmouth is comprised of 419 acres. Approximately 85 acres are going to be dedicated to residential development, 188 acres are going to be dedicated to commercial development (office space, hi-tech space, warehousing, restaurants, schools, retail space) and 146 acres are going to be dedicated to open space (parks, roadways, greenspace, waterways, etc..) upon full build out.

Pursuant to the Fort Monmouth Reuse and Redevelopment Plan (which can be viewed on FMERA’s website), there seven separate residential sites within Oceanport’s section of the Fort.  These seven sections take up about 85 acres and are now known as follows: The Lodging District, Barker Circle, the 400 Area, RPM North, RPM South, Acute Care, and the Nurse’s Quarters.

The Lodging District, about 15 acres, is slated to have 180 residential units built on it. 143 of these units are to be high-end townhomes for sale, priced anywhere from $700,000 to $900,000, and 37 additional units are slated (as required by law) to be affordable housing units, which will be rentals. The affordable housing units will be housed in two existing buildings on the site that cannot be knocked down because they are within the historic district.

Barker Circle, about 19.5 acres in total, has about seven acres dedicated to residential housing, six acres dedicated to commercial development and 6.5 acres dedicated to open space. It is proposed that 75 residential units will be built there. 60 residential units will be high-end market rentals and 15 residential units will be set aside for affordable housing, as is required by law.

RPM North (the old officer’s housing) is comprised of 22.5 acres, 17 of which has residential housing on it and 5 of which is open space. RPM North has 68 for sale residential units on it. All units sold to date have been sold for amounts far in excess of their projected sale price and/or assessed value. You can go look at these units and view the development at any time.

RPM South (the old non-com quarters) is about nine acres in size and is comprised of 48 rental units, 24 of which are dedicated to affordable housing as required by law. You can look at these and view the development at any time. 

Acute Care is where the Beacon of Life Facility is currently located. It is the site of the old hospital. The residential buildout calls for 81 total units on the three-acre site. These 81 units are pretty much completed, and you can go look at the development at any time. These units are designed to compliment the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) offered by Beacon of Life. PACE is a Medicare and Medicaid program that provides elderly citizens the option of meeting their health care needs in their community instead of going to a nursing home or other care facility.

The Nurse’s Quarters are located on 3.5 acres of land just off of Main Street and are projected to have 35 residential units, seven of which will have to be affordable housing units as required by law. 

The final property designated for residential development is the 400 Area. This is the property located on your right as you drive on Oceanport Avenue towards Little Silver. The 400 Area is just under 80 acres in size. 25 acres are going to be designated for residential use, 25 acres are proposed to be used for commercial/mixed use, and 30 acres will be dedicated to open space. All existing buildings on this property are to be demolished.

The 400 Area is slated for up to 233 residential units within the 25 acres allotted for residential development, of which 20% have to be affordable housing units. Despite what you may have heard, there is no plan (or money) to move the Little Silver Train Station to this site. That proposal was shot down a DECADE ago. Instead, what is proposed is a “transit village” type development allowing for easy access to the Little Silver Train Station.

Sorry for the dry nature of this message, but these are facts everybody should know. Even Buddy Brocklebank.

We had a fabulous summer here in Oceanport and it was
closed out by another incredible Summer’s End event at
Blackberry Bay Park. Once again, Oceanport’s Parks &
Recreation Committee put together a perfect evening for all of
us to enjoy and the closing fireworks display was, as usual,
second to none. We owe a debt of gratitude to the paid staff and
volunteers who put this event together every year. It is a town
wide celebration of all that is wonderful about Oceanport.

One of the other wonderful things about Oceanport is our
commitment to helping others and the Kortney’s Challenge 2
Mile Fun Run/Walk at Monmouth Park on August 4th was
Oceanport at its finest. With over 650 people participating in the
race and hundreds more volunteering and participating in the
fund-raising portion of the event, this year’s Challenge met its
goal of raising $100,000.00 for research and education
related to the treatment of pediatric brain and central nervous
system tumors. Kudos to Oceanport, the Kortney Rose
Foundation, the Gillette family and everybody who volunteered
or participated in this event.

Looking ahead, as most of you are aware, the Borough of
Oceanport is relocating its Municipal Complex to a 13.25-acre
parcel of land on the old Fort Monmouth property located just
off Main Street by the Razor Drive entrance to the Fort.
Demolition work has begun on certain of the buildings there
and the renovation of the remaining buildings will begin shortly
thereafter. When the project is complete (we hope to be done by
the third quarter of 2020), our police station will be moved from
its current site at the old Fort Monmouth firehouse to the former
State Police building and next door to that will be our
Municipal Building. The new Municipal Building will house
Oceanport’s Municipal Court, our Department of Municipal
Works office and all the municipal services currently located
315 East Main Street. The Department of Public Works’
maintenance building and yard are already located at the site.
All in all, the new complex will allow for “one stop shopping”
for our citizens when completed.

Recreation soccer has started up again at Blackberry Bay
Park and that means we need to be reminded that the speed
limit on Port-Au-Peck by Blackberry Bay is 25 miles an hour,
not 150 miles an hour. In fact, the top speed limit on ALL but
three of the municipality’s streets is 25 miles an hour (Main
Street, Port-Au-Peck past Branchport and Crescent being the
three exceptions), so please slow down when you are driving
through Oceanport. I know that this is a constant theme in my
messages, but speeding is a constant problem in our town.

Longtime Oceanport Rick McKenna recently stepped
down as a member of the Shore Regional High School Board.
Rick has been one of the most dedicated volunteers this town
has ever known, and he has represented Oceanport well on
both the Shore Regional and Oceanport Boards of Education
over the past two decades. Oceanport is going to miss him,
and we need more people like him to step forward and volunteer
their time. Finally, I’d like to extend a belated Happy
Birthday to Oceanport Mayor Emeritus Clem Sommers, who
celebrated his 90th birthday with his family and friends in
August, but he still isn’t as old as Buddy Brocklebank.

The first weekend in May was a very “Oceanport” weekend, indeed. Although the Oceanport Recreation Committee’s annual miniature golf outing at Bluegrass Mini Golf in Monmouth Park Racetrack was postponed due to the inclement weather on Friday night, our little slice of heaven was chock full of activity all weekend. Saturday morning opened with the Maple Place Middle School’s Annual Color Run at Blackberry Bay Park. I can tell you that the kids in Oceanport have no problem walking up to the town’s Mayor and dumping bags of colored flour on his head. No problem whatsoever. None. I know who they are, however, and you can rest assured they won’t be getting any calls while I am refereeing their basketball games next year. This fun run’s purpose is to raise money for the 8th grade’s class trip to Washington, D.C., but with its mix of kids, adults, music, exercise and dedicated volunteers, it’s actually an incredibly colorful, somewhat messy, 3.2 mile celebration of all that is wonderful about Oceanport.

Shortly after the Color Run ended, Monmouth Park Racetrack opened on its doors and 21,500 people walked through the gates. They were treated to a warm, sunny (thank you Buzzy Baldanza, Oceanport’s Weather Maker) opening day of great live racing, family picnics, hot dogs, hamburgers, horribly gaudy men’s sport jackets and mis-matching pants, women’s Derby hats ranging from the ridiculous to the sublime and the most bizarre, prolonged and confusing finish in Kentucky Derby history. While all of that was going on, the 2019 Monmouth Park Charity Fund’s Kentucky Derby Celebration was honoring Oceanport’s own Maureen Lloyd for her 20 years of service to the organization. The charity event was packed to the rafters, just like the rest of Monmouth Park. Afterwards, local restaurants were bursting at the seams with patrons as the day’s celebrations spilled over into the night. The last night of Triumphant Life Church’s week long Spring Carnival at Fort Monmouth closed out this very busy Oceanport Saturday and, although it was very successful, we hope that Buzzy Baldanza can arrange for better weather at next year’s carnival!

A special note of thanks goes out to Oceanport’s police department, DPW and First Aid Squad, all of which played an integral part of the success of these events. Each of these Oceanport celebrations went off without a hitch, and the support and assistance of these individuals made that possible.

On Sunday, moreover, I had the privilege and honor of participating in the Eagle Scout induction ceremony at the Oceanport Hook and Ladder building. Two fantastic young men, Christopher Schuff and Jack Donohoe, became Oceanport’s 109th and 110th Eagle Scouts. They join Gerald R. Ford, Neil Armstrong, Steven Spielberg, Michael Bloomberg and Oceanport Councilman Ricky Gallo as internationally known individuals who have earned the highest rank attainable in the Boy Scouts of America. This is no small accomplishment for these two boys and Oceanport is blessed to have such an inordinate amount of Eagle Scouts in a town so small. Fun Fact: Arthur Eldred was the first Eagle Scout and he was awarded this honor in 1912. There is no truth to the rumor, however, that he was Buddy Brocklebank’s classmate.

This past weekend is proof that Oceanport is alive, well and - as it says on our logo - “a great place to live.” Our volunteers are always energized, our professional and volunteer emergency services providers are knowledgeable, dedicated, and caring and, our community is filled with people who love to be involved and make a difference. The vibrancy of Monmouth Park Racetrack this weekend bodes well for the summer and our spring looks exciting, too. Oceanport will be hosting the Oceanport Lion’s Club’s Strawberry Festival from May 29th to June 2nd, the Memorial Day Weekend Jersey Shore Food Truck Festival at Monmouth Park, Oceanport’s Memorial Day Parade on the morning of Memorial Day and TWO car shows in June at Fort Monmouth (Sunday, June 9th at Wallington Avenue and Saturday, June 15th at Malterer Avenue).  Please get out of your house, get involved and enjoy all that Oceanport has to offer!

Honorable Jay Coffey
Mayor, Oceanport Borough, NJ